Lock binder construction



May 31, 1955 J. J. DONATO ETAL LOCK BINDER CONSTRUCTION Filed April 24, 1953 W 5 mm y 3 WAA E Q MNH N M M m .K M T $8M mF v. B

LOCK BINDER CONSTRUCTIGN Joseph E. Donato, San Francisco, Calif., and Frederick L. Hardin, Shreveport, La.

Appiication April 24, 1953, Serial No. 350,898

2 Claims. ((l. 129-38) The invention, in general, relates to publication retaining devices and more particularly relates to an improved construction of a binder enabling the facile locking therein of newspapers, magazines and the like yet permitting the ready perusal thereof as well as enabling the removal of the work from the binder with facility.

Our present invention is a further improvement of our invention described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 2,323,123, granted to us on June 29, 1943, as well as an improvement of our invention described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 2,602,452, granted to us on July 8, 1952.

A principal object of our present improvement is to provide a lock binder construction which reduces manufacturing steps and enables the elimination of parts without detracting from the effectiveness of operation and use of the binder.

Another object of the improvement is to provide a lock binder construction of the indicated nature which is additionally characterized by its simplicity of arrangement of coacting parts, and its inexpensive production.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageous features thereof, wiil appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of our present improvement which is illustrated in the accoirpanying drawings. It is to be understood that we are not to be limited to the precise embodiment shown, nor to the precise arrangement of the various elements thereof, as our invention as defined in the appended claims can be embodied in a plurality and variety of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improvement in operative position retaining a book or other work with ready access to the pages thereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of our invention illustrating the construction of one end thereof with pivotally mounted clamping bar.

Fig. 3 is a sectional, end elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present improvement in operative position, this view showing in fragmentary illustration a portion of the retained work.

Fig. 4 is a composite fragmentary perspective view illustrating the complementary latching means of the present improvement, of which one is on the base and the other on the clamping bar, for affording a cam lock of the binder.

Fig. 5 is a broken plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present improvement, this view being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a broken longitudinal sectional elevational view of a preferred embodiment of our present improvement, this view showing in full lines the position of the clamping bar in operative position, and in dotted lines showing the position of the clamping bar when the binder is unlocked and the clamping bar removed from the work so as to permit removal of the work from the binder.

Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of the preferred embodiment of our present improvement.

12,79,440 Patented May 31, 1955 In its preferred form, the improved lock binder of our present invention preferably comprises a base removably attachable to a book cover or the like, a clamping bar pivotally supported on said base, a first latching element integral with and extending beyond as Well as above one end of said base, together with a second latching element rotatably mounted on said clamping bar and operatively associated with said first latching element for locking a newspaper or a book or the like on the binder for retention thereon.

As illustrated in the annexed drawings, and particularly in Figs. 5 and 6 thereof, we provide a relatively long, flat base 11 which is formed with a series of spaced holes therethrough for accommodating suitable screws 12 for removably attaching the binder to the back of a book cover or other work. Moreover, at one, end of base 11, the material thereof is reduced and extended as Well as turned upon itself to afford a first latching element 13 having a portion 14 in elevated relationship to and overlying the end 15 of the base 11. While any suitable material can be used to provide the base 11, we preferably manufacture the same from a suitable lightweight metal, such as aluminum or a nickel-alloy of aluminum.

in accordance with our present improvement, the opposite end 16 of the base 11 is. bent to afford a bracket 17 which extends normal to the base and which is cut away and rolled upon itself, as at 18, see Fig. 2 of the drawings, thus defining a mounting element 1? for the reception of a pivot pin 21, which is retaiuable in a confined space afforded between the bracket 17 and the terminus of the rolled back portion of the bracket 17 comprising the mounting element 19. In addition, the mounting element is slit, as at 22,'for passing one end of a clamping bar 23 through which the pin 21 extends, thus affording a pivotal mounting of the bar 23 on the bracket 17 so that it may be swung from closed to open positions, and vice versa, at will.

In Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings, the clamping bar 23 is shown in full as well as in dotted lines, the former illustrating the closed position of the bar for retaining a book, magazine, newspaper or other Work on the binder, while the dotted line showing of the bar illustrates its open position for permitting removal of the work from the binder and substitution of another work thereon. The free extremity 24 of the clamping bar 23 is turned upon itself or looped to alford the rotatable mounting thereon of a second latching element 26 which is complementary to the fixed latching element 13 at the end 15 of base 11.

With reference to Fig. 4 of the annexed drawings, it will be observed that the construction of the second latching element 26 is substantially the same as this latching element of our lock binder described and claimed in our previous Letters Patent, No. 2,602,452. As shown, the second latching element comprises a generally cylindrical member having a bore therethrough, and including a shank 27 on which is mounted, preferably integral therewith, an enlarged knurled knob or turning element 28 at one end thereof, and an enlarged segmental base 29 at the opposite end thereof. The segmental base 29 is a substantially flat disc having the major portion of its periphery formed to an arcuate portion 31 which merges with a straight portion 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Moreover, the base 29 is arranged in off-set relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the second latching element 26 on which it is carried. As shown, the shank 27 of the second latching element extends through and is rotatably retained by the looped extremity 24 of clamping bar 23. When the clamping bar is brought to a closed position adjacent to the base 11, with its segmental base 29 so disposed in relation to the fixed latching element 13 that it may pass the latter, as hereinafter explained,

the latching element 26 is guided and seated by means of a guide post 33 on base 11 which preferably consists of a struck-out portion of the base 11 to project normal thereto, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the annexed drawings. As illustrated, guide post 33 extends into the bore of the latching element 26 thus constraining the clamping bar 23 against lateral movement and aiding in the latching of the binder in operative position.

In operation, after the base 11 is attached to the back cover of a magazine, book or the like, the clamping bar 23 is pivoted about pin 21 toward the base. During this motion of the bar 23, the knurled knob 28 of the second latching element 26 is held in the hand and turned so as to present the straight portion 32 of the segmental base 29 toward the elevated portion 14 of the first latching element. With the segmental base 29 of the second latching element in this position, continued swinging of the bar 23 toward the base will enable the segmental base to pass by the elevated portion 14 of the first latching element and permit the seating of the bar 23 on the guide post 33 of base 11. Thereafter, it is only necessary to turn the knob 28 of the second latching element 26 a suflicient distance to bring the arcuate portion 31 of the segmental base 29 into underlying relationship with the elevated portion 14 of the first latching element, and thus latch the bar 23 in operative position with the book or other work retained on the binder. The pages of the book can be readily turned with the bar 23 in latched position. To remove the binder, the knob 28 of the second latching element is turned so as to bring the straight portion 32 of its base 29 to a position facing the first latching element and then lift the bar free of the latch, and thereafter remove the screws that removably secure the base 11 to the book cover.

The present improvement has a minimum number of parts, and can be fabricated readily by stamping the same out of suitable metal stock using dies for shaping, bending, rolling and slitting the stock where indicated to form the first latching element 13, the bracket 17, the rolled and slitted mounting element 19 and guide post 33. The second latching element 26 and the clamping bar 23 also are inexpensively produced and assembled in operative position. With the first latching element 13 disposed at the end of base 11, there is no likelihood of damage to books or other works retained on the binder since such latching element is beyond the dimensions of the retained work.

it is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made over the prior art.

We claim:

I. A lock binder construction for retaining a work thereon, said construction comprising a fiat base removably attached to the work, a reduced extension integral with one end of said base, an inwardly directed projec tion on said extension overlying said base adjacent to said one end and in spaced parallel relation to said base; said inwardly directed projection defining a first latching element, a bracket integral with the other end of said base and projecting normal thereto; said bracket being partially cut away and rolled back to define a hinge on said bracket extending beyond the other end of and spaced above said base, a clamping bar pivotally connected to said hinge, and a second latching element rotatably mounted on the outer end of said clamping bar; said second latching element being rotatable to binder locking position underlying said inwardly directed projection of said extension.

2. A lock binder construction as defined in claim 1, and including a guide post on said base adjacent to said overlying inwardly directed projection of said extension for seating said second latching element and restraining the same against lateral movement.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,121,604 Bein Dec. 22, 1914 1,805,191 Skripkin May 12, 1931 1,818,302 Cardoza Aug. 11, 1931 2,602,452 Donato et al July 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,983 Great Britain l9l0 

